The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-05-23
STEAMERS IN COLLISION.
The Celtic and Britannia Collide In a
Dense Fog.
Several Passengers Killed and Others
Badly Injured.
Both Steamers Reach Sandy Hook In
Safety.

NEW lORk, May zz.-SUeanler celtic, from
Liverpool, and Britannia, from New York
for Liverpool, collided May 10, at 5.25 o'clock
in the afternoon, $50 miles east of Sandy
Hook. Both vessels reached Sandy Hook
bar at one o'clock this morning They were
compelled to remain there owing to a dense
fog. The disabled steamers were aceompan-
led to Sandy Hook by steamers British
Queen and Marengo to render aid if neces-
sary. -Four of the Brittanic's steerage pas
sengers were lost. All were well aboard the
Celtic. The weather at the time of the col
lision was calm and the sea smooth at inter-
yals. The Brittanic was struck on the port
side and considerably damaged. Boats were
lowered and filled with women and children
from the cabin and steerage in very order
ly and expeditions manner. To their shame
several men forced themselves into the boats.
Meanwhile an examination was made and
the damage to the Brittanic ascertained. 1t
being found thet the vessel was not likely to
founder, such boats as were within hail were
recalled and the occupants received on board
The others had boarded the Celtic. A pad
was made, placed over the hole in the Brit
tanic's side and she was turned about to-
wards New York, having arranged with the
Celtic to keep company. The saddest and
most deplorable result of the accident is that
several steerage passengers who were lying
about aft at the time of the collision were
killed and several others injured. The Gel
tics bow is stove in but otherwise the vessel
is not much damaged. The Brittanc's COM
partment is full of water. The collision Oc-
CURED during dense fog. The Celtic struck
the Britannic's bow on hitting her.
Another report of the collision says: The
Celtic struck the Britannia on the port side
at the mlzzen rigging and only few feet
astern of the after end of the boiler room.
The mlzzen rigging iron work and all was
wrenched from the fastenings, and the rail
was torn from its foundation as far aft as
the jgger and the after turtle back was car
ried into the air and overheard as though it
was made of paStebOard. AS the striking
steamer glanced alongside it rebounded twice
smashing two small boats and bending a
heavy iron force pump that stood near the
butchers quarters over against the deck like
a piece of tin. AS the bow struck the pump
it caught steerage passenger, crushed him
against the iron and cut his body completely
in two A little girl named Robinson with
her mother and brother on the way to Eng
land was also crushed by the bow, her face
and breast being split open. The scenes
that followed are yariously described.
E. Storey Smith, of Boston, a passenger on
the Britannia, says there was a very dense
fog at the time, horns were blowing contin-
ually. Between $50 and o'clock Thursday
afternoon, we heard the fog horn of another
vessel. | went on deck and could see the
lgrge black hull of steamer bearing down
on us. Signals to Slow. | believe, were
given on our vessel. We were proceed
ing at about regular fog speed while the
other steamer which proved to be the Celtic,
seemed to have little more than headway on.
As the approaching vessel discovered us she
changed her course somewhat and struck MS
Obliquely abaft the steerage gangway, re-
bounding struck again and again but with
less force each time and finally she slipped
along under our stern and come up partly on
the other, the starboard side There were
evidently orders to launch the boats al
though L heard none given. The steerage
passengers made a stampede for the star
board stern boats, but were driven back by
the otfibers and crew and the ladies were al
lowed to embark first. Three of the boats
gou off safely and carried their passengers
to the Celtic. AS the fourth was about to
leave Captain Perry ordered it to remain
saying at the seme time that there was no
cause to fear that the ship would founder.
He admitted that the fourth compartment
was full Of water, but said the damage was
limited to that Smith spoke highly of the
discipline of the crew and the conduct of the
officers.
The steerage passengers tell a different
story. Thirty or more of them found quar-
ters tonight at the expense Of the White
Star Line. Among them was Mrs. Robinson,
whose daughter was killed. She spoke Bit
tkrly of the treatment she received at the
nanuS OF Jne steamer 0f1clalS, and SAID that
after her child was killed it was represented
to her by the stewardess that the little one
was alive, and doing well. AT the time. she
was giving all her attention to IA year old
boy, George Arthur, whose arm received a
compound fracture from the falling rigging.
When she next inquired after her daughter
she learned that the girls body had been
flung overheard.
Some men passengers say that at the time
of the collision the fog was not so thick, but
away. They said no fog horns were blow
inn but that the Britannia was running slow
ly. They charge that when efforts were
made to lower the boats the gear was hard
and rusty, as though it had not been used in
long time. There was a sudden rush,
mostly by men, for the boats until Capt.
Perry drew revolver and threatened to
shoot the next man who attended to enter
the boat The crew, including firemen and
stokers, were among the most violent in
snelr attempts to jump into the boats.
several succeeded, although there was not
ent suillclent number of life preservers for the
passengers, these men seized any
tmsy could lay their hands on, The
az mnie VI man who was crushed against
thap... the PUMP when she saw her husband body
tV thiVMn INTO the sea, became frantic, shrieked
sndt sue wanted to follow him. and would
nave cast herself over the side had she not
Deen restrained by another passenger. There
! was great excitement eyervyhere the crew
being as badly frightened as anv of the mas
sengers ana under very little control of their
SupeIlors. Elght or ten people were Injured
by ironwork as it feil on tho wood-
work as II was crushed in. -Four